


Monster in the Woods

by Username8746489



Series: (Mostly) Nathmarc Drabbles!! [10]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - No Miraculous, Alternate Universe - Vampire, I guess? IDK how to tag this universe, M/M, Marc Anciel & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug are Cousins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:53:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24339205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Username8746489/pseuds/Username8746489
Summary: The village sends out an animal sacrifice each month to appease the monster in the woods. But one month, they run out of animals to send.A human will work just as well, right?
Relationships: Alix Kubdel & Nathaniel Kurtzberg, Marc Anciel & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Marc Anciel/Nathaniel Kurtzberg
Series: (Mostly) Nathmarc Drabbles!! [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1715527
Comments: 15
Kudos: 195
Collections: MarcNath Fics!





	Monster in the Woods

**Author's Note:**

> CW: There is blood in here plus a slitting of the wrists that isn't self harm

The village leaders sat in the meeting room, discussing their worries about the monster in the woods. Fifty years ago, a monster appeared in the woods. It would strike in the night, killing their livestock and leaving their dried up bodies. To protect themselves, the leaders of the village back then built a metal wall with only one exit/entrance around the village. They made sure that all of the supplies the village would need was inside the wall. A river ran through the village, the wall not extending downwards to allow the river to pass through.

Each month, they send out a sacrifice in the from of one of their animals to appease the monster. However, after examining their livestock, the leaders concluded they would not be able to send out an animal and still have enough food for everyone this month.

"What will we do?" One of them cried.

The main village leader, Roy, sighed, "We will have to sacrifice a human instead." The statement was met with shouts and gasps of shock, but none of them was opposed to the idea, as long as it wasn't one of them.

"Let's make a list of everyone in the village. We'll weigh their pros and cons and decide from there."

After making the list and going over everyone, they realized everyone on the list was valuable.

"How are we going to decide?" One asked, "They're all beneficial to our village!"

Roy stared at the list of names, before chuckling, "I think I found a solution to our problem. We're missing a person on this list."

"Who is it?"

He looked around at the table of leaders, "The sacrifice shall be Nathaniel Kurtzberg. He's so insignificant, we didn't even remember to put him on the list."

"Sir...With all due respect, isn't he your son?"

Roy shrugged, "Life is life. I shall act for the needs for the village."

* * *

Nathaniel knelt quietly in his mom's empty room. 

"Hey, mom. It's been five years since... Anyways, I'm doing fine now. My eighteenth birthday passed! Dad wanted to show me something today. He said it was a surprise. I'm really happy. He's been distant ever since you died. I hope our relationship can go back to how it used to. The surprise is bound to be good considering it's the anniversary of your death! Or that's what I'm hoping for, at least."

A knock on the door interrupted him. 

Alix opened the door, "Hey Nath, your dad is asking for you."

Nathaniel stood up, nodding. The two walked out of the house.

Alix fiddled with her sleeve, "Hey, Nathaniel. You're my best friend. You know that, right?"

Nathaniel laughed, "Of course. You're mine too, Alix."

She smiled, although it had a hint of sadness in it. He couldn't figure out why.

She pointed towards his dad, "There he is. Have fun with your surprise."

He beamed, "Thanks! See you later!" Alix flinched at that.

Strange.

Nathaniel walked up to his dad, "Hey! What's the surprise?"

His dad held up a blindfold, "It wouldn't be a surprise if you knew what it was."

Nathaniel hummed happily as he tied the blindfold, excited to see what his dad had planned.

He felt his dad pushing him somewhere and the sound of a door opening. 

"Take off your blindfold after twenty seconds, okay?"

Nathaniel hummed in acknowledgement. He counted down the seconds in his head, only vaguely noticing the sound of a door closing.

After twenty seconds passed, he removed the blindfold, quickly seeing a group of trees. That raised some warning flags because then what was the door noises?

He turned around to ask his dad, but was met with the sight of the outside of the wall with a closed door.

Nathaniel panicked, rushing to the door, trying to open it. Why did they leave him out here with all the rumors of the monster?!

He slammed his hands on the wall, "Hey! Let me in! Why am I out here?! Dad!"

After a good ten minutes, he stopped, hands tired.

Nathaniel's mind was still reeling, trying to figure out the answer to his question.

_Wait, isn't today the monthly sacrifice?_

_...Oh._

I'm _the sacrifice._

He took a couple steps back from the wall.

So the village leaders really thought he was that insignificant?

Damn.

Nathaniel's eyes lingered a little longer before he turned around and started walking away.

He was at least going to _try_ to survive.

Almost immediately after he thought that, he tripped on a tree root, sending him tumbling down a hill, scraping himself on several rocks and branches on the way, landing at the bottom face up.

He groaned, brushing his bangs away from his left eye. Nathaniel slowly stood up.

He stumbled forward. His foot landed inside a rope. As soon as that happened, it tightened around his foot and shot him up in the air, hanging by the captured foot. 

Nathaniel bit his lip, crossing his arms, "This is not how I intended to die."

* * *

Marc slowly set down the rope in his hands, hearing one of his traps get set off.

_Huh, that was really quick..._

He stepped out from behind some trees, looking at what he caught.

Marc made eye contact with a ~~cute~~ redheaded boy being hung upside down.

"Oh, I didn't think I'd catch a human!" Marc quickly went over, throwing the knife hanging on his belt, cutting the rope. The knife lodged itself in a tree, doing its job effectively.

The boy dropped down quickly, yelping. Marc caught him in his arms, bridal style, "Are you okay?"

He leaned his head into Marc's shoulders, "Tired. It's been a long day."

"What's your name?" 

...

The only response Marc got was soft breathing. Apparently, the guy had fallen asleep.

Well, Marc's only option was to bring him back to his house.

* * *

Nathaniel blinked his eyes open. He swung his legs over the side of the bed he was on and stretched his back, pulling the hood of the jacket he was wearing over his head.

...Wait, he wasn't wearing a hoodie when he left.

He took the hood off, confused.

"Ah, that's mine!"

Nathaniel looked up to see a black haired guy standing in the doorway.

"Um...Hi?"

"I'm Marc," He introduced himself, sitting down next to Nathaniel, "Are you okay? Those traps are usually used for animals. I'm sorry it caught you."

"O-Oh! It's fine! I'm Nathaniel!"

The two were interrupted by a loud goat bleat.

Nathaniel looked confused. Marc explained, "Oh, I keep finding random goats in the forest so I keep and breed them. Mind telling me what you were doing in the woods? The nearest village besides the walled off one is thirty minutes away by horse."

"Um, would it surprise you if I said I came from the walled off village?" Nathaniel smiled nervously, shrinking into his shoulders, "That's also where the goats are coming from."

"Huh?" Marc looked shocked, "Why are you outside then?"

Nathaniel recounted his tale, ending up wiping a few tears by the end, "Sorry, you already saved me from that trap. You don't have to deal with my emotional breakdown too."

Marc fiddled with his fingers, "Well, you can stay here with me, if you want?"

Nathaniel stared at him, smiling, "I'd like that. Thank you."

Marc beamed.

* * *

* * *

Marc helped Nathaniel onto his horse.

"So, uh why are we going to the other village?" Nathaniel asked.

Marc hummed, placing some items in the horse's saddle bag, "I'm going to sell some stuff and we're going to get you clothes because all my clothes are over-sized on you!"

The brunette quickly climbed up behind Nathaniel on the horse, starting on the journey.

Nathaniel leaned his head back on Marc, the constant motion of the horse calming.

"You good?" Marc asked. Again, he realized the redhead was asleep. Marc fondly smiled, continuing the ride.

When Nathaniel opened his eyes again, he was in the village. Marc helped him off the horse.

"C'mon, I have a cousin who tailors clothes in here!" The brunette quickly led Nathaniel away.

A girl with pigtails looked up as Marc entered the shop.

"Marinette! Do you have some clothes for my friend?"

She blinked in surprise, "Yeah, actually." She pointed to a section of clothes in the corner, "There are some clothes his size over there."

"Go pick out some stuff you like!" Marc cheerily told Nathaniel.

The shorter male walked towards the clothes, muttering under his breath, "I feel like a child."

"Does he know?" Marinette asked in a hushed tone. Marc simply shook his head. "He's going to find out sooner or later."

"Yeah, but that's a problem for future me." He grabbed something off the counter, "How much for this?"

* * *

Nathaniel hummed, placing his new clothes in the bag before Marc walked up to him.

"Hey, can I do something?"

"Yeah, sure, go for it." Marc reached up, brushing Nathaniel's bangs out of his eye and pinning it up using the hairpin he bought from Marinette.

He smiled, "I was right. You look nice with both your eyes showing."

Nathaniel blushed and turned away, "T...Thank you."

* * *

* * *

The two males walked over to a river nearby.

Nathaniel fiddled with the leather box in his hands. 

"Are you sure about this?" Marc asked.

"Yeah," Nathaniel knelt down and placed the box in the river. The two walked down the river, watching it until it traveled under the metal wall back into Nathaniel's village.

"Think she'll get it?"

"I hope so."

* * *

Alix looked up as one of the village kids ran up to her, "Alix! Look what I found in the river!"

Alix took the box out of the child's hand, noting the familiar handwriting, "Thanks. Go back to playing with your friends."

She clicked her tongue, reading the writing on the box. 

_For Alix Kubdel, huh?_

She opened the box, pulling out a note.

_Hey, Alix! It's been 2 weeks since I was kicked out of the village! I know you couldn't do anything cause the village leaders would've kicked you out too, so I'm not mad at you for not telling me. Anyways, there's a person I've been living with so you don't have to worry about me! The monster surprisingly doesn't attack all that often. Love ya!_

_\- Nathaniel_

Alix laughed, leaning against the wall.

"That crazy son of a bitch, he actually survived."

Well, if anyone could do it, Alix was happy it was her best friend.

* * *

* * *

Nathaniel woke up in the middle of the night. Damn insomnia.

He noticed Marc wasn't in bed with him though. They had grown close enough that it had become the norm for them.

A noise came from outside. Concerned, Nathaniel took a flashlight and went outside.

The noise continued, sounding like it came from the goat pen. He flashed the light to the source of the noise.

Marc was kneeling down next to one of the goats, biting down into its neck.

"M-Marc?!"

Marc looked up, blood covering his lips, "Nath?" The goat collapsed to the ground next to him.

"W-What?"

Marc stood up, "Nath, I can explain."

Nathaniel dropped the flashlight and ran into the forest, his mind racing at the same pace.

_Marc? Was eating the goat??_

_Not eating, drinking its blood..._

_Vampire???_

_Wait, was he the monster the village leaders are scared of?_

Distracted by his thoughts, Nathaniel repeated the same mistake he made on the first day: tripping over a tree root.

He screamed as he yet again fell down a hill.

You know, maybe he should take this as a hint to watch where he's going.

Nathaniel took a particularly hard hit to the head, courtesy of a rock, and blacked out.

* * *

"Nathaniel?!" Marc yelled, running after him. Being a vampire gave him some cool powers, such as night vision, so he was able to see the tumble Nathaniel had. Marc quickly slid down the hill. 

He stood up at the bottom, seeing Nathaniel's unconscious body.

"Shit."

* * *

Nathaniel woke up back in his room. He shot up in bed, looking around. Marc was looking directly at him.

He squeaked, backing up.

"S-Sorry," Marc apologized, "You don't have to stay here if you want. If you're scared of me eating you or whatever."

"If you wanted to eat me, I think you would've already done it by now," Nathaniel bit his lip, "Sorry for running away so suddenly. It...was a shock."

Marc chuckled, "That's fair."

"A-Are you the one my village is afraid of?"

"I assume so," Marc pouted, "Dang, their animals were so tasty back then too." At Nathaniel's unamused look, he got back on track, "Yeah, so I'm an immortal vampire, monster, whatever. You can go."

"...And if I don't want to?"

Marc looked up, confused, "What?"

"What happens if I want to stay?"

"Why would you want to stay?!" The brunette asked, bewildered, "You said it yourself! Your village thinks I'm a monster!"

"Have you actually attacked any humans?"

"I mean, no, I mostly feed on animals, but-"

Nathaniel pulled Marc onto the bed, "I think that settles it. You may be a monster to them, but you will never be a monster to me." He ended his statement with a quick kiss to Marc's lips. After pulling back, his eyes widened, "Oh, I should've asked before doing that. Sorry-"

He was cut off by Marc pushing him down to the bed and kissing him back.

* * *

* * *

It had been about a week since Nathaniel had figured out Marc's secret. There some experimenting over whether Marc could just drink Nathaniel's blood and be sustained (The answer was no; Nathaniel panicked when Marc collapsed in the middle of a walk).

They were sitting in the living room together when Marc stood up and grabbed some things off a shelf. 

"Why do you have a book and a knife?" Nathaniel asked, slightly perplexed.

Marc opened the book, glancing at a page before slicing a small cut on his wrist.

"Marc!"

Marc held up a finger to silence Nathaniel before using his finger to draw a pattern on the ground. He grabbed Nathaniel's hands in his own.

"You know how vampires are immortal?"

Nathaniel slowly nodded.

"This is a ritual so I can age along with you."

"You don't want to live forever?"

Marc pulled Nathaniel closer, so their faces were only an inch apart, "I'd rather die than live a life without you."

The redhead's face turned the same shade as his hair, before looking down and blushing. He looked up, "You know you probably should've asked before cutting yourself."

"Ah, sorry."

Nathaniel giggled, "Alright, what do I need to do?"

"Ah just let me get some of your blood and add it in the middle of the circle."

The shorter male held out his wrist, thinking Marc was going to cut it in the same way. Marc simply leaned forward and bit into his wrist, causing Nathaniel to jolt.

Marc leaned back, spitting Nathaniel's blood into the circle.

"Gross," Nathaniel muttered, recoiling back.

The ritual circle glowed bright yellow before disappearing.

"Huh," Marc muttered, "That's convenient."

* * *

* * *

**Bonus**

The village leaders stood in front of the village.

"I regret to say this, but we need to send a sacrifice out to the monster again and simply do not have enough animals to send out to it and still have enough food for us, so we must send out a human. We shall be pulling a name-"

"No need," Alix interrupted from the back.

Everyone went quiet.

"I volunteer."

"Alix, are you sure?" Roy asked, "You're one of our most valuable members!"

" _I volunteer._ "

Roy sighed, "Alright then."

Her friends gave her words of farewells as Roy walked up to her. He handed her a knife, "So you can defend yourself."

She took it, narrowing her eyes, "You didn't give anything to Nathaniel." Her words dripped with venom. Roy flinched. Alix brushed past him, walking up to the door and pushing it open. 

She heard Roy close it behind her.

Now time to find Nathaniel.

Or at least, that's what she would've thought if she wasn't immediately ambushed by a tackle.

The person on her giggled, "Alix!"

She steadied them both, "N-Nathaniel?!"

He got off her, backing up, "Hey! Why'd they send you out?"

"I, uh, volunteered."

Nathaniel chuckled, "Yeah, seems like something you'd do. I was just waiting out here for the next goat they'd send, but you can come back to my boyfriend's house!"

She blinked, "Your what?"

"I'll explain there. Come on!" He grabbed her wrist and started pulling. She rolled her eyes and followed.

Well, this might as well be her new life.


End file.
